Road indicator



J; CAMPBELL.

ROAD lNmcAToR.

APPLlCATlON FILED FEB. 1, 1921. Lpg 'Patented Jan. 3L E922.

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IN VEN 70H JOHN IgM/@5514.

TTU/MIE V8 I. CAMPBELL.

ROAD INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. I. 1921.

Lwpw Patented Jan. 31, w22.

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WIT/#8353 /VI/ENTUH l:rein: CAMPBELL, oF CLEVELAND, omo.

`ROAD INDICATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jal-1,. 31, 1922.

. `Application led February 1, 1921. Seriall No. 441,599.v

To all 'whom t 11mg/ concern:

Be it known that I, Jol-IN CAMPBELL, a. citizen ofthe United States, and a resident of Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a new and Imroved Road Indicator, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in road indicators, an object of the invention being to provide a road map in the form of a strip and to provide improved means for automatically exposing that part of the strip `which indicates the particular road over which a vehicle is passing and which also indicates the direction to be taken When cross roads are reached.

A further object is to provide strips of this character, which are wound upon reels and to provide improved means for automatically unwinding the strips from the reels when the car is in motion.

A further object is to provide means for uncoupling the reel actuating members from the driving means, so that the strip may be adjusted for inaccuracies while the car is in motion.

A still further object is to suggest one mea-ns of conveniently mounting the indicating mechanism on the dash board of an automobile and to provide a mechanism of thev character stated, Whichwill be practical in construction and efficient in use.

VVit-h these and other objects in View', the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and ycombinations and arrangements of parts, to be more fully hereinafter described and pointe-d out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved device;

Figure 2 is a view in longitudinal section therethrough on the line 2 2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view in transverse section on the line 3--3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of a portion of the ilm 14; and

Figure 5 is a detail view illustrating the mounting of the idler reel 16.

Referring in detail to the drawings, 1 represents the casing of my improved indicating mechanism. `The casing may be secured in any appropriate position on a vehicle, but I have illustrated a horizontal bracket 2,

fired to the dash board of an automobile and provided With-an opening 3 to accommodate vthe casing. The flanged edges 4 of the casing aresupported by the bracket. One end Wall 5 of the casing is hinged as indicated at 5', for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

A vertical bracket 6 is provided and is disposed centrally of the casing 1. The bracket 6 includes a pair of upwardly extending arms 7 and 8. Each of these arms is made integral with a pair of bearing sleeves, such as 9.

Shafts 10 and 11 are mounted to turn in the bearing sleeves 9 on the arm 7 and spindles 12 are carried by the sleeves on the arm 8.

13 represents a cartridge reel, upon Which is wound a roll of film 14. This cartridge reel is mounted on one end to turn .freely ou the lower spindle 12 and is provided with a. conical recess in its other end, which receives a. cone shaped member such as 15,

projecting inwardly from the end Wall 5 of the casing.

Mounted to turn freely on the lupper spindle 12 and on a similar cone shaped member is an idle-1' reel 16, provided adjacent each cnd with an annular series of teeth 17 adaptcd to engage in perforations 18 along the edgesof the film 14.

A driven reel 19 mounted to turn With the shaft 10, is similar to the reel 1G, being provided with pins 20, which positively engage the Hlm to unwind it from the cartridge reel and deliver it on to a receiving reel 21, mounted to turn with the shaft 11. The reel 21 frictienally engages the shaft 11 and normally turns therewith. but is adapted to slip on the shaft to relieve thestrain on the film incidental to the varying speeds of the peripheries of the two reels 19 and 21.

The shafts 10 and 11 are compelled to turn simultaneously in the same direction by viry tue of a gear Wheel 22 fixed to the shaft 10 and a. gear wheel 23 fixed to the shaft 11, both of which mesh with an idler gear Wheel 24 mounted on the arm 7. The gear wheel A `the map may also have displayed along one edge a scale of miles. such as 2T, to indicate the ground covered. It will of course be understood that thel driven reel is geared to drive the film in direct ratio to the speed of the car, so that the portion of a road over which the car is travelling is always exposed through a. transparent. portion 28 in the top of the casing. The transparent portion 2S, preferably comprises a sheet of glass secured in any suitable manner within .a hinged sect-ion 29 of the top of the casing. The section 29 is hinged as indicated at 30 for a purpose to be hereinafter noted.

lt will be evident that numerous means might be resorted tofor imparting motion to the shaft 10. F or the purpose of illustration l have shown one practical and etlicient means of accomplishing this object.

As before noted, the film reels occupy one end of the casing between the brackets 6 and the hinged wall 5. In the other end ofthe casing. my improved actuating mechanism is mounted. A driving shaft 31 extends through the end wall of the casing and has its end j'ournaled in an upstanding bracket 32. The drive shaft may either be connected to the speedometer, or to the front axle of a vehicle.

The driving shaft 31 through a suitable speed reducing worm gear, such as 33, transmits motion to a vertical counter shaft 34, turnable in bearings, such as 35.` within the casing. rlFhe counter shaft 34 through another reducing gear, preferably a worm, as

indicated at 36, transmits motion to the driven shaft 10. The shaft 10 is formed in two sections, which are compelled to turn together by a clutch such as 37. One member 38 of the clutch is mounted to slide on one section of the shaft 10as indicated at 39. A spring held clutch controlling lever 40 is pivoted to the upper end of the bracket 32 and includes a fork 41, engageable around the clutch member 38 to positively slide the same in either direction. An ex ansion spring 42 tends to maintain the clutc mem- 'ber 38 in operative position to impart motion to the reel 19. The lever 40 is of the angular shape illustrated and its upper end terminates in a downwardly presented hook/4 3.

lt may become necessary to adjust a film for slight inaccuracies which occur through wear on the transmission gear and with this in view, l provide a beveled gear 43', around the shaft 10 between the gear wheel 22 and the clutch.

A hollow post 44 is integral with one edge of the casing section 29 and a vertical shaft 45 is mounted to turn freely in the post. A finger receiving disc such as 46, on the end of the shaft 45 facilitates manual operation of the same. rllhe shaft is normally maintained in elevated position by a spring held dog 4T engageable in annular grooves 48 in the shaft. A bevelled gear wheel 49 is fixed to the lower end of the shaft 45 and a flange 50 of considerably greater diameter than the gear wheel 49 is fixed to the shaft above the gear wheel. rlhe flange 50 is engageable with the lever 40 to swing the clutch member 38 out of operative position when the shaft 45 is moved downwardly. Y

It is desirable that the level' 40 be held inthe position illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 2, so that the film may be adjusted by moving the bevelled gear 49 into operative engagement with the gear wheel 43. lith this end in View, an angular spring held member, such as 51, is pivoted at its intel-mediate portion in the upper end of the casing. rl`he member 51 includes at one end an upwardly presented hook 52,engageable with the hook 43. A slidable plate 53 mounted on the top of the casing is engageable with the other end of the member 51, which extends outwardly through an opening 54 in the upper corner of the casing. By moving the plate 53 to positively engage the free end of the member 51, the hook 52 is moved into engagement with the hook 43, to hold the clutch member 38 out of the path of the bevelled gear 49. rlhe gear 49 may then be moved into engagement with the gear 43 pon the shaft 10 to manually adjust the Any approved means of manually operating the plate 53, such for instance, as the handle 55, may be employed.

The hinged side Wall 5 permits the introduction of the film into the casing, and the hinged section 29 permits ready access to all of the parts for the purpose of repair.

lt will be apparent that other means might be utilized for mounting the reels and that various changes and alterations might be made in the general form and arrangement of the parts described without departing from the invention and hence l do not limit myself to the precise details set forth, but shall consider myself at liberty to make such slight changes and alterations, as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

An indicator finger 56 secured to one edge of the transparent portion 28 indicates the exact location of the ear on the road.

li claim:

1. A device of the character described includmg a casing, a vertical bracket disposed centrally of the casing, a film carrying cartrldge reel mounted to turn freely between the bracket and the one end Wall of the casing, a driven reel mounted in the casing, means on the driven reel positively engageable with a film to unwind the film from the cartridge reel, a film receiving reel and means normally causing the receiving reel to turn simultaneously with the driven reel,

ill@

ne l

ing, a driven reel mounted in the casing,-

means on the driven reel positively engageable with a film to unwind the film from the cartridge zreel, a flmvreceiving reel and means normally causing the receiving reelto turn simultaneously with the driven reel, said means comprising a pair of gear wheels fixed to turn with the driven reel and the film receiving reel and an idler gearwheel meshing with both of said first mentioned gear wheels.

3. A device of the "character described comprising a casing, a film carrying cartridge reel mounted to turn freely in the casing, a driven reel in the casing, means on the driven reel positively engaging the filmto unwind it from the cartridge reel, a driven shaft operativelyfconnected to the driven reel, means for driving the driven shaft, said means comprising a drive shaft'mount" ed in the casing, a counter shaft, a reducing gear connecting the drive shaft and counter shaft, and means operatively connecting the counter shaft and the driven reel.

4. A device of the character described comprising a casing, a film carrying cartridge reel mounted to turn freely in the casing, a driven reel in the'casing, means on the Y driven reel positively engaging the film to unwind it from the cartridge reel, a driven shaft operatively connected to the driven reel, means for driving the driven shaft, said means comprising a drive shaft mount-l ed in the casing, a counter shaft, a reducing gear connecting the drive shaft and counter shaft, and means o ratively connecting the counter shaft and t e driven reel, and a reducing gear transmitting motion from the counter shaft to the driven shaft.

5. device of the character described comprising a casing, a film carrying cartridge reel mounted toI turn freely in the casing, av driven reel in the' casing,'means' on the driven reel positively engaging the Ifilm to unwind it .from the cartridge reel, a driven shaft operatively connected to the driven reel, Imeans for driving, the driven shaft, said means comprising a drive shaft mounted in the casing, a counter shaft, a reducing gear connecting the drive shaft and counter shaft, and means operatively connecting the counter shaft and the driven reel, and a re- .ducing gear transmitting motion from the counter shaft to the driven shaft, said driven shaft comprising two sections, a clutch normally compelling both sections to turn together, means for manually operating the driven shaft and means whereb member is automatically move out of operative position, when the manually operable means is moved into engagement with the driven shaft.

6. In a device of the character described, a

one lclutch a. v

casing, a flexible strip of material having a map ldisplayed thereon, said casing including a transparent portion adapted to display said map, means for driving said map, a clutch associated with said means, a pivoted clutch fork controlling the clutch, means for manually adjusting the strip, a pivoted spring held hooked arm engageable with the clutch fork to hold out the clutch during manual adjustment of the strip, means for locking said` fork in inoperative position.

7. n a device of the character described, a casing2 a map i ing a transparent portion adapted to display said map, means for driving said map, a clutch associated with said means, a pivoted clutch fork controlling the clutch, means for manually adjusting the strip, a pivoted spring held hooked arm enga-geable with the clutch fork to hold out the clutch during manual adjustment of the strip, means for locking said 'fork in inoperative sition, said means including a slidin ocking member mounted on the casing an a flexible strip of material havingy i splayed thereon, said easing includ-v .85 

